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AFC – December 2008

AFC has invited bids from its member associations to house its headquarters, which are currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The proposal will now be tabled at the AFC Congress in May 2009. The AFC secretariat took up its function in Hong Kong after the formation of the governing body in Manila, Philippines, on 8 May 1954, and moved to Penang, Malaysia, in 1965 after Koe Ewe Tek had taken over as its General Secretary. The secretariat moved again ten years later, this time to Malaysia’s Ipoh when Dato’ Teoh Chye Hin was appointed General Secretary. When Dato’ Peter Velappan took over the reins in 1978, the secretariat was shifted to Kuala Lumpur. Two temporary offices and 22 years later, the AFC is presently housed in its own building in the capital’s Bukit Jalil area.
In its first-ever meeting at AFC House, the AFC Football for Disabled Persons and Social Responsibility Committee discussed ideas and expressed its commitment to increasing playing opportunities for the disabled and young people. Chairing the meeting, Kwak Chung Hwan from Korea Republic said the committee would be endeavouring to provide more opportunities to the young and disabled to play and enjoy the beautiful game. “Sport is a great means of harmonising society and football has the power to unite the world,” said Kwak. “This committee will come up with ideas so that programmes can be launched for disabled people. We want them to overcome the challenges they face and enjoy the sport.” Kwak also presented a comprehensive masterplan which aims to turn the AFC into a recognised pace-setter among sports organisations in the areas of social responsibility and disabled football by 2013.
The AFC Technical and Vision Asia Committee has approved the launch of new development projects in Philippines and Kyrgyzstan. Under the chairmanship of Malaysia’s Tengku Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, the committee also gave a green light to the expansion of existing projects in China, India and Iran to two new cities each. The committee also approved the extension of the AFC ‘sAID27 programme to 2012.